Charles t



(No. Model.)

o. "1?.Iwi/.ELL- l WIRE FENCE.`

Pa-tented Novil 26, il l Invetor'. 'A C. Ar

g 'Vw mjy ttorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. ROZELL, OF ADDISON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNSR OI` ONE-HALE TO ARTHUR P. HILL, OE SAME PLACE.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 550,582, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed April 17, 1895. Serial No. 546,095. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. RozELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Addison, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Felices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to wire fences; and it consists of means for bracing and tightening the fence by the addition thereto of a continuous wire brace of simple and inexpensive construction, whereby the strands of the fence are held tightly in place and the fence, as a whole,greatly strengthened and protected against sagging or spreading from any cause.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of a section of a fence, showing my improvements applied thereto, andFigs. 2 and 3 details showing a picketcap.

Referring to the drawings,A and A' are large wooden posts placed apart at any desired or required intervals and supporting the strands of wire B, which constitute the main body of the fence. and driven into the ground at long intervals between the two end posts and provided with eyes or projecting staples, so that the wires B may pass through the same and be free to move. l

At intervals along the fence, between the posts and about four feet apart," are placed pickets C, of wood or other suitable material, which may be secured to strands of the fence by staples or by other suitable means.

Fixed to the post A near its upper end is a wire D, which runs diagonally across the horizontal strands of the fence and passes on and over a half-circular slot c, formed in the A2 are smaller posts sharpened post A is secured another wire D', corresponding yto D, which passes on and over a slot c in the top of picket O, and then up and down diagonally across the wires of the fence in the same manner as above described for wire D. Both these wires D and D are connected to the horizontal wires of the fence between the pickets C at the points where they cross each other by means of a wire loop, so iformed and wound around the intersecting parts that while the respective wires are held together, yet the horizontal wires are permitted to be stretched through them.

In applying the diagonalwires I at first let them rest beneath the tops of the pickets and intermediate posts, and then after all the wires are in place and tightened by suitable means at one end of the fence I raise the diagonal wires by a suitable tool over the tops and onto the slots of the pickets and there unite the diagonal wires and top strand of the fence by a wire clasp e2 on each side of the picket.

Near the bottom of posts A2 is placed al hook, spike, or screw E', over which the bracewire D is carried. At the points between the pickets where both of the diagonal bracewires cross and are connected'to the horizontal wires I place blocks o for the purpose of a guard to cattle and other stock. Instead of cutting slots in the ends of the pickets and top of intermediate posts A2 a plate o2, having just such a slot, may be used at such places.

In my invention it is not the intention to tighten the diagonal wires bystretching them, but .to have them answer as a continuous brace running from one end post to another to prevent the fence from sagging and to be applied after the fence is up' at any point, while permitting the fence wires to be straightened and applied independently thereof. It will also be seen that the fence is made as rigid between the posts and pickets as atthose points. Again, I avoid cutting holes or slots through the pickets and posts, thereby weakening the same, and I am thus also able to set the wires at such distances apart as may be desired. By having the wirefence-wires. By my invention the brace supports the fence, not the fence the brace, since the brace runs from end to end and is rigidly secured to the end posts.

In order to prevent the end posts from being weakened by the constant inward tension of the wires, wooden braces F are provided on the inner sides of the posts A and Avhich bear against the latter and are supported by posts or stakes driven into the ground.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim is- The combination with end posts, of an in termediate smaller post, horizontal fence wires constituting the body of the fence', said intermediate post provided with eyes through which said wires pass freely, interm ediate pickets provided with staples through which said fence wires pass, said intermediate post provided with a grooved cap at its top and provided with a catch at its foot, said pickets provided with grooved caps at top and bottom, two continuons brace Wires running diagonally in opposite directions from the opposite ends of the end posts, and alternately over and under the ends of the pickets and over the top and at the foot of the intermediate post, said brace wires crossing each other at a point between the said pickets and at their crossing` point connected together 3o and to a fence wire, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. ROZELL. lVtnesses:

CHARLES NV. GILLET, O. B. STRATTON. 

